There is a push from Maine lawmakers to require all police officers, corrections officers, and municipal firefighters to carry Narcan while on duty.
The bill is expected to be presented on Monday. The bill would require the carrying of Narcan, which is used to treat people experiencing an overdose, as well as additional training on its use.
There have been 96 overdoses in Portland so far this year, 11 of those were fatal. According to the Maine Department of Health and Human Services, 10,110 overdoses were reported in Maine in 2022, including 716 suspected or confirmed deaths.
For December 2022, 928 people in Maine experienced a drug overdose, with 75 suspected or confirmed deaths.
A public hearing on the bill is scheduled for Monday.